By Yusuf Hatip

BRUSSELS (AA): In the wake of growing racism across Europe, a project to counter Islamophobia was launched in the European Parliament on Wednesday.

Experts and academics from across Europe gathered at the parliament for the launch of the two-year Counter-Islamophobia Kit (CIK) project funded by the European Commission’s Directorate of Justice.

They called on member states and policymakers to play a more active role in the fight against Islamophobia and strengthen legal procedures on the issue.

The project reviews dominant anti-Muslim narratives and compares counter-narratives in eight EU members states of France, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Portugal, Greece, and the U.K.

It outlines 10 counter-narratives that must be prioritized in Europe:

– Challenging and contextualizing constructions of Muslim ‘threat’
– Building inclusive nations: challenging exclusive and discriminatory national projects
– Cultural compatibility and conviviality: challenging the narrative separation of cultural and ethnic groups
– Elaborating plurality: challenging narratives of Muslim singularity
– Challenging narratives of sexism
– Building inclusive futures
– Deracializing the state: challenging institutional narratives
– Emphasizing humanity and Muslim normalization: challenging narratives of division
– Creating Muslim space(s)
– Challenging distorted representation: verity and voice

[European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. Photographer: MichalPL/Creative Commons]